i'm not sure what i'd choose out of rises and avengers if there was to be a token oscar nom for a blockbuster. neither are oscar worthy, but i think avengers was executed better. but then rises was more ambitious and had some truly great acting performances.

Very surprised about The Hobbit. Only 75% on RT with quite a few saying its boring and to stretched out.

When you're book is barely 300 pages, cut to three films with added material from the appendices, and it's already announced that there's going to be extended cuts for each film, yeah, I'm not surprised people are bored with it.

It should've either been one, long 3 hour films or two 2 hour films. No more.

i'm not sure what i'd choose out of rises and avengers if there was to be a token oscar nom for a blockbuster. neither are oscar worthy, but i think avengers was executed better. but then rises was more ambitious and had some truly great acting performances.

Don't worry about Avengers getting a token slot. At this point, I cannot imagine a Marvel produced film ever being nominated for anything other than Visual Effects.

TDKR has a very, very slim shot at getting a tenth token slot. Too bad, because the second film was why there were ten nominations in the first place.

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I can't wrap my mind around Avengers getting a Best Film nomination, even if it's for the "token" blockbuster spot. While it did have some soul along with absolute fantastic action, it wasn't nearly as heart-wrenching of a CBM as TDKR is.

I can't wrap my mind around Avengers getting a Best Film nomination, even if it's for the "token" blockbuster spot. While it did have some soul along with absolute fantastic action, it wasn't nearly as heart-wrenching of a CBM as TDKR is.

Skyfall will get that spot if there is even one available. It was released close to awards season, so it would be less likely to be forgotten.

I feel like on some level...when a movie makes over a billion dollars, and is well-reviewed, there should be almost a sense of obligation on the part of the Academy to nominate it. Tentpole filmmaking is what keeps the studios running. The money the studios make on these huge movies is what enables them to make a lot of your typical Oscar season fare, which aren't nearly as profitable.

Large scale filmmaking, when it's done right, ought to be celebrated by the Academy, if only for this reason. So whether it's Skyfall, Avengers, or TDKR, I feel like they should make an effort to nominate at least something outside their comfort zone. It's why the category was expanded in the first place, right? To allow for more variety in an effort to reverse the downward ratings trend?

I feel like on some level...when a movie makes over a billion dollars, and is well-reviewed, there should be almost a sense of obligation on the part of the Academy to nominate it. Tentpole filmmaking is what keeps the studios running. The money the studios make on these huge movies is what enables them to make a lot of your typical Oscar season fare, which aren't nearly as profitable.

Large scale filmmaking, when it's done right, ought to be celebrated by the Academy, if only for this reason. So whether it's Skyfall, Avengers, or TDKR, I feel like they should make an effort to nominate at least something outside their comfort zone. It's why the category was expanded in the first place, right? To allow for more variety in an effort to reverse the downward ratings trend?

Agreed...and IMO the best of that bunch is TDKR. However, I'd be happy for any of the three if they were to be nominated.

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I would say TDKR has a better chance simply because it could be perceived as a nod to the ambition of the whole trilogy--in particular TDK which the Academy infamously snubbed in 2008 thereby creating this whole 10 picture nominating system.

But honestly, TDKR is not as good as TDK. Nor is Skyfall and definitely not Avengers. It is a crowded year and the Academy I think will use that as an excuse to ignore all big tent poles. I only think Nolan and Mendes made films worthy of such consideration, but it probably won't happen. Oh well.

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One thing I think really holds Nolan films back is that their genius is only appreciated with many repeated viewings. On the surface they tend to exploit convention so well that you know it was entertaining, but then beneath that there's so much thought and meaning put into every little facet. I doubt many Academy voters put that kind of time into it.

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I wouldn't be surprised if SkyFall got a token nom over the other comicbook movies. It's got a director the academy loves and it's been very well reviewed. Plus Bardem. Yes the Academy gave Ledger one and obviously liked Bale enough to give him one but I just don't see the same amount of love surrounding Rises, I see love from some ciricles but it doesn't have the near universal praise that TDK got. Crazier things have happened but if the never nominated for best film Harry Potter didn't a pity nom for the last flick why expect this one to?

I would say TDKR has a better chance simply because it could be perceived as a nod to the ambition of the whole trilogy--in particular TDK which the Academy infamously snubbed in 2008 thereby creating this whole 10 picture nominating system.

That's kind of how I see it. It's the last chance for the Academy to honor this particular body of work, so I feel like if any tentpole film deserves a nom this year, it's this one.

At the same time, the Bond franchise is another really old, beloved franchise, so I'd be happy for Skyfall to pick up the nomination as well, even though I don't think it's quite as great as TDKR.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBat812

One thing I think really holds Nolan films back is that their genius is only appreciated with many repeated viewings. On the surface they tend to exploit convention so well that you know it was entertaining, but then beneath that there's so much thought and meaning put into every little facet. I doubt many Academy voters put that kind of time into it.

I tend to agree. I do think this is probably the case for a good amount of the Academy voters. The problem is they don't consider a CB movie as something worthy of approaching with that level of thought. I think they can tell the movie is "trying" to be smart, and this further turns them off.

I wouldn't be surprised if SkyFall got a token nom over the other comicbook movies. It's got a director the academy loves and it's been very well reviewed. Plus Bardem. Yes the Academy gave Ledger one and obviously liked Bale enough to give him one but I just don't see the same amount of love surrounding Rises, I see love from some ciricles but it doesn't have the near universal praise that TDK got. Crazier things have happened but if the never nominated for best film Harry Potter didn't a pity nom for the last flick why expect this one to?

The only major difference between Nolan's trilogy and Harry Potter is that whether overt or implicit, Nolan's trilogy has had an impact on the "upper" awards at the Academy before in a previous entry. Heath Ledger won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar which was deserved (even if we want to get into the politics of why he actually got it) and was an explicit nod to the film/trilogy. They then changed their format in 2009 to include 10 nominees because of the monumental backlash for snubbing TDK in 2008 from a BP nomination (especially when it was more worthy than at least three of the films nominated). There is the implicit history. Harry Potter was never once recognized or famously snubbed in such a way.

However, I do agree that this by no means improves TDKR. At the end of the day, I don't think any of the fanboy films this year (TDKR, Skyfall and especially Avengers) will get nominated. I'm just saying why I thought TDKR has a better chance than the other two. Anyway, all three are vastly superior to Avatar. If that can get a nomination, any of these three should. And that's coming from someone who doesn't think Avengers should be nominated.

Just my speculation.

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